Bass Strings

Rotosound bass strings are the first of the round-wound stainless steel bass strings produced by famous manufacturing company, Rotosound. Many notable players such as Michael Amott (Arch Enemy), Zeta Bosio (Soda Stereo), Jean-Jacques Burnel (The Stranglers), Cliff Burton (Metallica) are users of the bass strings of this Rotosound brand.

Its strings are available in different gauges and scale lengths. One set of Rotosound Bass Strings includes 4 bass strings. The gauge of the strings is balanced.

From high to low, the measurements go from .045, .065, .080 and 0.105. It is a round wound stainless string with no coating. One set costs roughly 19$.

Unique Features

The steel that is used to manufacture RotosoundBass Stringsare unique. The strings are combined with a complicated and extensive manufacturing process. If you are looking for bass strings that will give you responsive feel and sustained tone that will add the signature flavor in your playing, then you might be searching for Rotosound Swing Bass round wound stainless steel strings.

The strings are made of stainless steel. So, they are a bit more rough and coarse than the nickel plated strings but do not cause discomfort to affect your natural playing. String tension is well- balanced and allows for a variety of playing styles such as slap, finger picking, flamenco etc. The strings produce awesome low mid growl that progressive rock bass players will dearly appreciate.

Different String Grades

In its product line, Rotosound has the following grades of strings:

Solo Bass 55

It is a steel roundwound string with hex core. These have brightness and clarity. It has pressure wound feature to reduce finger noise/finger wear.

Swing Bass 66

Swing Bass 66 are available in both stainless steel and nickel varieties. Steel ones are the brighter of the two. Both have hex core. It is a very popular grade which is used by John Entwistle, Geddy Lee and many others.

Rotobass

These are nickel roundwound strings with a hex core. It is comparatively less expensive than the other grades.

Jazz Bazz 77

Jazz Bazz 77 are flatwound strings with a hex core. These strings have been featured on famous records that include Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd),A Night at the Opera (Queen), Live and Dangerous (Thin Lizzy).

Tonality

They give you the real punchy and versatile tone with a bit of twang. Yet, they give you the thick, heavy tone that you look for jazz and rock. The strings sound like a piano whenever you use enough treble. You can switch from clear sound to deep bass by switching pickups. However, you will need to have the amp settings correctly to get the best out of the strings. One objection regarding the strings is that the sound quality does not last for too long.

These strings are not the best for drop tuning as they lose tone significantly. These will work perfectly fine if you play in standard tuning. As the strings get older, you will not quite the sound when they are in new condition. Therefore, you will have to take care of the strings to maintain the sound quality.

Even the most formative bass player is going to develop the itch. The itch for a big, rich bass sound that can be replicated through a quality amp. His or her sound eats up so much space in the music that there grows a real need for a quality instrument. Add budget concerns, however, and finding a bass that's going to cut it becomes more challenging.

A Dunlop bass guitar is going to scratch that itch and then some. They bring all the sauciness of a standard Soundgear Bass but with a less-demanding price tag. They're also subject to the same rigorous engineering standards and inspection as more expensive Ibanez basses. Every burgeoning player outgrows their first instrument. If your cut-my-teeth 4-string has become beneath you, the Dunlop is one you can afford. More importantly, it'll accompany you nicely on your way to becoming an intermediate player.

Dunlop bass strings have a bright, clear, often metallic sound with longer sustain. They are the most commonly used today, capable of producing
a wide range of tones that are distinctive to many styles of music.

Dunlop bass strings are critical to the clear, percussive effect of slapping and popping in players like Wooten, Marcus Miller, Larry Graham, etc. Note that Dunlop bass strings *can* be tougher on frets and particularly on fretless, due to the textured metallic wrapping.

Dunlop bass strings are typically made of either stainless steel or nickel. Stainless steel are the brightest, clearest strings, which also produce the most amount of "finger noise" and buzzing sound against the frets. This is desirable in many styles.

Nickel feels a little softer on the hands and has less of the metallic high end treble in the sound than steel strings. This also equates to less finger noise coming through and a smoother, mellower sound than steel while still falling on the bright/clear end of the spectrum.

Dunlop bass strings are very smooth, with a much darker, muted or "dead" sound, and generally more low-end "thump."

Dunlop bass strings are a nice compromise between round and flat. Dunlop bass strings are partially ground-down and smoothed out, to providing a middle ground between brightness vs. deadness in sound, and metallic roughness vs. smoothness in feel.

Much less common these days than flat or roundwound, a few companies including Fender and Rotosound make a "tapewound" string out of Nylon- they are darker, warmer and softer than Dunlop bass strings. If you have ever seen black strings on a bass, that is Nylon.

The Dunlop bass strings features two standard coil pickups and a P-bass split style neck pickup. Both are designated as "high output" and the bass does have sufficient but not excellent versatility. Between the two there's a nice "standard" tone with some flexibility. The rosewood neck sports medium jumbo frets for player friendliness. The DUNLOP BASS STRINGS's body is cut more aggressively to allow easier access to the higher frets. The bridge has a more forgiving nature to it as well to accommodate newer players.

Where this bass guitar makes a move is with it's ability to handle and clearly reproduce low-end power. Dunlop bass strings bass guitars boast the PHAT II active bass boost system on all models. It makes them particularly appealing to rock and metal players as you can dip WAY down without concern. Another note worthy of mention is that the DUNLOP BASS STRINGS basses are the only entry-level priced line that carries 5 and 6 string models.

Moving your way up to a better quality and more responsive instrument is enjoyable. The Dunlop bass strings brings the same sleekness, comfort, tone and playability as the SDGR bass but won't ask as much of your wallet. They're worthy of your sitting down with one, that's for sure.

In general, strings have a big impact on a guitar’s sound and playability. This part of the instrument is the soul of the sound that comes out of a guitar. Their characteristics can be defined by their gauge; lighter gauge strings are usually easier to play, heavier ones produce more volume and are preferred for low tuning. The used materials and the manufacturer’s different technologies also play an important role. For beginners, this area can be really confusing as there is an excessive range of options available, and it is not easy to make the right choice without experience.

Elixir is a pioneering manufacturer of the guitar industry, and has been selling high quality products since 1995. Over a decade ago, the company came up with specially coated nickel and steel strings that are covered with an invisible, ultra-thin, space age polymer tube. The thin teflon (or polytetrafluoroethylene) layer is the heart of the so-called NANOWEB technology, which was tested by 5,000 musicians before production. This is the first major innovation in instrument strings in a very long time, and leads to better tone and significantly extended life among several other benefits. Why is Elixir better than the average? While other manufacturers coat only the surface of the windings, leaving the space between the windings exposed to dirt and oil, Elixir covers between the windings as well, leaving no empty space at all.

Elixir Strings will bring out the best in your instrument. While it feels smooth, easy to play, and the sounds are well balanced, rounded and full, with expressive tones, it reduces unwanted string noise too. The thin, softer layer will also prevent you from cutting your fingers while playing. Due to the advanced technology that prevents corrosion, these strings usually last 3 to 5 times longer than the average. NANOWEB products are a bit pricy, but there is a cheaper product on the market to consider: while it also has the previously mentioned benefits, Polyweb, - which uses the same technology -, is a great choice with its original, warm, “played-in” tone, and costs significantly less.

On the other hand, many professional and hobby users complain about the coated strings technology: they say that the layer alters the sound. It affects the tuning of the guitar and hides the charm and the best sounds of the instrument, which does not sound traditional and original. Some users also say that the layer is not sticking enough which causes it to be torn after only a few months of use. This quality issue usually affects the heavy users who spend hours playing on their guitars on a daily basis and give no time to corrosion to appear making the special layer pointless.

Compared to the market average NANOWEB strings are expensive. Both NANOWEB and the significantly more affordable Polyweb represent a new, groundbreaking technology that definitely has a future in the music industry. For those, who want their instrument to last, prefer high-quality equipment and like smooth and low-end sounds, Elixir can be a wise choice.

In the late 1950’s, the Fender Precision Bass became the definitive electric bass in modern music. It was such a popular and dominant brand that musicians that used an electric bass called it the Fender bass, regardless of what actual make it was. This was a brand that, since its inception, completely changed the music industry forever. 

Fender introduced Precision Bass in 1951. This was designed with a slab ash body and one piece maple neck as well as a single coil pickup in the middle position. The strings go through the back of the body and the bridge is a two piece pressed fiber design. The headstock looks like an initial Telecaster that was designed in earlier years. Back then, the only color options were blonde with a black pickguard. Also, a finger-rest is mounted below the G string with just one screw. 

By 1954, Fender added body contours to the upper arm bout and back. This was very similar to the Stratocaster guitar which is of today’s age. The bridge was amended to steel and the body was available in two-toned color with a white pickguard. 

By the 1960’s the slab rosewood board was replaced with a radius laminated rosewood version. Faux pearl dots replaced clay position markers and the pickguard material was changed to vinyl. 

In the 1980’s Fender started manufacturing accurate bass strong designs and finishes, according to original quality and improved sound. 

Setting up Fender Bass Strings

One of the most imperative things you can do for your Fender Bass is general and proper setup. Unfortunately, this is overseen by many bassists but remains one of the most important steps of being a Fender Bass owner. It allows you to play better with a more defined sound. 

Bridge adjustment is a simple and effective way of maintaining the correct string height. Some bassists prefer the lower action which helps with playing faster, whilst others prefer it higher as they feel they can achieve a stronger tone without fret buzz in this way. 

Adjusting the height of each strong saddle can be done with either an Allen or slotted screws. Often, bassists have strings set to varied heights which allow them to curve the fingerboard or the thickness of the string. Other players prefer the strings to all be on one height, and some niche players like to even adjust strings strictly by ear. 

Fender offers a variety of bass strings which are available in long, medium and short scales. Due to the amount of tension in the neck, it is advisable to replace and tune each new string before removing the next string. After the entire set of strings are replaced, stretch your strings by holding them at the first fret and hooking your fingers under each string, one at a time. Then tug them lightly and move your hand from the bridge to the neck. Re-tune and repeat several times for enhanced quality. 

These adjustments should be done on a regular basis to achieve enhanced performance and better sound with fewer problems in the long run.